President Bola Tinubu has praised the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Ola Olukoyede for achieving unprecedented results in asset recovery and criminal convictions.
The President’s commendation was delivered on Monday in his keynote address at the official opening of the 7th EFCC-NJI Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges, held at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja.
The theme of the workshop was “Enhancing Justice in the Fight against Economic and Financial Crimes.”
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu stated that his administration has made public accountability a priority by strengthening anti-corruption agencies and granting them the necessary independence to carry out their mandates.
He highlighted the visible impact of this commitment, noting that in the first two years of the current administration, the EFCC has secured over 7,000 convictions and recovered assets exceeding N500 billion.
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He added that these recovered proceeds of crime have been reinvested into the economy to finance crucial social investment initiatives, including the Students Loan and Consumer Credit schemes.
Tinubu urged judges and justices to dedicate their utmost efforts to the anti-corruption campaign, emphasizing that the judiciary is critical tto its success.
He stressed that corruption can be eliminated in the country if citizens adhere to ethical standards and those who violate the law are punished accordingly.
“A Nigeria free of corruption is possible,” he asserted, provided that all citizens commit to ethical conduct and ensure that wrongdoers “are not allowed to go scot-free.”
The President affirmed that a robust judicial system is central to the success of anti-corruption efforts and that he is counting on the nation’s judges.
He maintained that the administration has allowed both the judiciary and the anti-graft agencies to fully exercise their constitutional powers to dispense justice and restore sanity.
He cautioned the judicial officers, noting that their position does not insulate them from the consequences of corruption, such as insecurity—which he described as a culmination of “decades of willful theft and wastage of the nation’s resources by corrupt public officials.”
He added that it is in the interest of all arms of government to unite to win the war against corruption.
Speaking, Olukoyede acknowledged the crucial role of the judiciary in upholding the rule of law and accountability.
He stated that his two years leading the Commission have further sharpened his focus on the judiciary as the “cornerstone” in the fight against corruption.
However, Olukoyede expressed regret over the protracted courtroom procedures that continue to hinder the Commission’s progress in handling complex, high-profile corruption cases.
